August 2025 (Weird Al Concert, New School Year, Friends from College, Neighbor Baptism)

I'm still not completely over the fact that school starts in August instead of September for my kids (except for Lucas). Summer just feels so short, and it is short. We got a few things taken care of before Isaac and Naomi started. She got all of her wisdom teeth pulled, which was of course pretty miserable for her the first couple of days. Not all of them had come in yet, or they were coming in at a wrong angle, so out they came. Isaac got a haircut. I don't have a picture from his first day of 7th grade since it was busy and he didn't want me to take one. And we started packing everything up to move Naomi to her dorm. She stayed in the same hall as last year, but with three in her dorm room instead of five. The school hasn't kept up maintenance or security of the dorms as much this year. I think she is hoping to find an apartment her senior year. Speaking of maintenance, our washer and dryer were dying, so we got new ones. I opted for non-electronic ones. I just feel those last longer. Our previous ones had lasted us 20 years and did a great job. Unfortunately we had a leak, so then had to repair that first before they could install them. Thankfully we found a place that could send someone out quickly, and the price was reasonable.

Also in August, my neighbor got baptized in our community pool. It was wonderful to see. I can't remember if the pastor who came was her nephew or cousin, but he gave a good message and then we had California Pizza Kitchen for the party. The whole family was invited, but only I really knew her and only I really wanted to go. I do more and more things solo these days. It's not great but I prefer not to force anyone to do things with me unless it's very important they be there.

Then my friend from my college bible study who is a missionary in Canada came to our area to visit. I lost track of the dates and almost missed her, but thankfully caught her just in time. We visited with another friend from college and we went to our other college friend's church. He is the lead pastor, but he was speaking at a retreat, so we unfortunately missed him. 

I've been wanting to see Weird Al Yankovic in concert since I was a little kid. I always liked parodies and used to write a lot of them in school. I was also a weird kid (and maybe a weird adult, too, but I keep it to myself more now😄). Manny has actually seen him perform before at a country fair when he was younger. I was really hoping I would finally be able to make it, and this was the year. I'm not sure what happened, but I thought Manny and I were going to go together, and then it sounded like he didn't want to go, but it sounds now like he did in the end. I might have misunderstood, but I now had an extra ticket, so I invited my friend M, and she said yes let's do this. For months I thought that was the plan, and I confirmed even two weeks before the concert. But right before it, she changed her mind and told me she didn't really want to go unless I really needed her to. One thing I don't like to do is to drag anyone to a show with me who is not interested. I decided to ask Lucas if he wanted to go. He said okay, so that became his first official concert. He's not necessarily a fan, but I used to play Weird Al's songs for the kids, so they know him. At least the audience would be fairly tame, and there would be children, which there were plenty of, so it might feel more safe. My friend commented, "The things we do for our kids." And I had to sheepishly reply that I wanted to go more than he did. 

Weird Al did a single-take live entrance like he does in the video "Tacky" (parody of "Happy"), and I captured some of it below. Also just one more video. I have a lot of videos, but you can find better ones on YouTube. I wore a Saga Begins shirt since that's one of my favorite songs of his, a parody of "American Pie" covering Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. He didn't sing the song till the end. His career spans five decades, so he couldn't sing everything, and I got a little concerned it wasn't going to make the cut. Since we had lawn seats and people around us were standing, we also had to stand for most of the show in order to see. In that sense I was glad I hadn't dragged anyone else to watch it, because Lucas can stand patiently for long periods.

One-shot Tacky entrance

Smells Like Nirvana

Before the show. Lawn seating is far from the stage, but fairly easy to move around in.

Ready for the show

Japanese lunch after moving Naomi in

Studio Ghibli welcome

Found this randomly, just like I randomly spotted Naomi's. I've never come across a Lucas one. It's just as well, since Lucas doesn't/can't drink Coke.

With friend A and A from college on A's RV (A on the right roadtripped across the U.S. with husband and two daughters)

R's baptism

Some Asian food I made but can no longer identify 😄

Got a new (old school-ish) washer. I avoid electronic panels more and more.

New York Day 7 (St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Rise NY, FAO Schwarz, Hard Rock Cafe, Times Square)

Our last day in New York, and we finally made it to Times Square that evening. Naomi and I did pass through it briefly after Hamilton, but we didn't stop to take it all in. It was our last big stop before we headed back the next day.

We went to Paris Baguette in the morning for some fruit and pastries. It was on the way, and the place we originally wanted to go to was actually closed. More extra walking and backtracking! Too bad we didn't get to see the New York Public Library this go-round. 

Our first stop in the morning was St. Patrick's Cathedral. Once again we had great weather, albeit a little humid at times. Though we aren't Catholic, we can appreciate the architecture and work that went into building this beautiful building. After that we made our way to FAO Schwarz. They had the famous Big piano (not sure it's the original one), which was slightly smaller than I thought it would be. It was fun to see all the toys and plushies. Now that my kids are beyond the age, they didn't really need anything,b ut we still got Lucas a plush dragon and Naomi a Care Bear purse. I don't think we got Isaac anything, but he'd already picked up a few souvenirs in Chinatown. 

We then made our way to Rockefeller Center. You can get coupons for passes to go to the top of the building, known as Top of the Rock. For an extra fee you can do a beam photo. They strap you into seats on the beam and then turn the beam so you can take a photo over the city. The beam is above the lower level of the roof and not out over the city, thankfully. I was still scared, though, so I had to sit in the middle. So we hit several of the observation decks or skyscraper lookouts in New York. We skipped The Edge, though it looked pretty cool, and we did not go up to the One World Trade Center Observatory. Maybe if there's a next time. But we were pretty satisfied with the ones we did see. They all had their unique views and experiences. Be warned it took a long time, maybe over half an hour, to get our Top of the Rock photos. 

Manny found this cool museum/experience called Rise NY. It covered a lot of history and culture of New York, including the stock exchange, the skyscrapers, fashion, science, and founding fathers. There was something for everyone and a number of interactive displays and sets. It included a fun ride at the end similar to Disney's Soarin'. Then we were pretty hungry and had a big meal at Hard Rock Cafe. Probably the biggest one we've ever been to. It showcased lots of memrobilia, including original instruments and costumes, album covers, and photographs. Also on display were giant replicas of a guitar and even the DeLorean from Back to the Future.

We rested at the hotel before  heading back out to see Times Square at night. We got some dessert from Carlo's Bake Shop and some sweet treats from Hershey World. Honestly, it is sort of overwhelming and there are all these scammers you have to absolutely ignore if you don't want to be harrassed and of course huge crowds. But it was neat for the kids to see the tower where the ball drops each New Year's. I liked seeing the 3D billboard, though I couldn't stop to take a video of it and my photo didn't do it justice. 

Overall, I was very thankful for the trip. We got to do so much and best of all go as a family and that all the kids were old enough to appreciate (and tolerate) everything. This was the first trip we took on a plane together since we went to Oahu with Manny's mom and dad seven years before. It may be many years before we all fly anywhere together again, so I cherish these memories.

St. Patrick's Cathedral

Magnificent stained glass windows

At the very front there is a closed-off section I guess for those who want to pray

Quite impressive columns. Last time I saw something like this was in Europe.

Just a cute thing to see on the street

Atlas statue

Greeted by a human toy soldier as we enter FAO Schwarz

The Big piano

Up the floors to the stuffed animal section

30 Rock

The level below the very top was already very high!

The beam. You on this beam and they rotate you and take a photo. You're not sitting over the city, but it was still scary to me (not to anyone else; thus I am in the middle).

Short historical film at Rise NY

Lucas just did a report on how the elevator brake led to the advent of skyscrapers.

Comparison of New York's iconic buildings

Tesla exhibit

Original radios from New York and the history of various radio shows

Replica of The Honeymooners set

So no one told you life was gonna be this way... (Friends couch)

Late Night with Manny Hernandez

The Tonight Show with Naomi Hernandez

Sesame Street

The Bronx was the birthplace of hip hop

Found a video from the ride on YouTube. Don't watch if you don't want to be spoiled.

Naomi happened to wear her Hard Rock Cafe shirt, and that's where we went for dinner

At Hard Rock Cafe with their big slabs of meat

Isaac doesn't like to smile much, but he enjoyed his meal.

Giant guitar at the top of the stairs

Walking by Radio City Music Hall

Playing chess and other games back at the hotel

Back out to Times Square. Stopped at Hershey World.

Times Square!

I got left out of the photos and videos at Times Square, but it's okay. I was wearing a white tee and a pink skirt if you want to imagine me there lol

The 3D billboard

New York Day 2 (Statue of Liberty, Fraunces Tavern, Wall Street, 911 Memorial & Musuem)

We had to wake up pretty early on Day 2 (for us, with the time difference) to get on the subway for the first time with the kids and go south to Battery Park for the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. Let me tell you, the subway system can be sort of confusing. I highly recommend getting familiar with it ahead of time. This video was pretty helpful to me and also explains why it is the way it is. I mostly used Google Maps to see where the lines were heading and the updated schedules for them. Manny and Naomi of course helped a lot, because my GPS on my phone was going haywire half the time. Speaking of technology, a couple things to note--you don't have to get a Metro card anymore and can just use your phone to pay for the subway. On the flip side, I'm so glad I printed out all of our tickets and reservations beforehand. It was very helpful particularly for Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building.

Our visit to the Statue of Liberty probably took the most research and needed to be booked the most in advance. Summer is a busy time in New York, so those reservations can fill up quickly, especially to go up the crown. Side note: visitors are no longer allowed up to the torch, which is fine by me. Though many companies will claim to take you to the Statue of Liberty, there is actually only one ferry company that actually gives access to the statue (with ticket purchase). Getting through security to get on board can take quite a bit of time. I actually watched the process via YouTube videos to try to map and figure out where everything was in Battery Park. If you're staying in New Jersey you can take the ferry from Liberty State Park, and my friend took that one a previous summer and said the lines weren't too bad. 

If you intend to go up the Statue, you cannot take anything up with you aside from your phone and sunglasses and I think a water bottle (not sure about this one) and any timed medications. To use the locker, you need to bring a quarter for each locker. This is the one important detail or tip our Khonsu guide did not tell us, but thankfully I happened to see it in one of those videos. Speaking of videos, if you want to be spoiled regarding what it looks like to climb the statue, you can find videos online. I did not record it, because I needed to concentrate on safety, and I'm also afraid of heights. Lucas is not, so he was fast up those steps. He climbed a lot of stairs that week. Going up was such a special experience to me. There are two sets of steps. For those who may have physical difficulties or perhaps strollers, you can take an elevator, which may have a long wait, up to the top of the pedestal and see the view from there. All of us did the climb, 215 steps. Then from there it was another 162 narrow, spiraling steps up to the crown (no elevator). Since space in the crown is limited, your allotted time up there is limited as well. I don't recall if it was 10 minutes or what, but it was plenty of time for us up there. They also had a big fan in the crown to cool things down, which we appreciated. The steps I think were too small for Manny's feet (he wears 10.5 Men's shoes). The earlier you can get on the ferry, the shorter the lines and wait will be and the more time you have at the Statue and Ellis Island if you choose to do that. There are two security lines before the line to board the ferry. We had reservations for lunch and a packed day, so we had to miss it this time. Ellis Island went on the list of places I'd love to check out if I ever go back. 

After returning from the visit, we walked to our lunch at Fraunces Tavern. I believe it was one of George Washington's favorite places. He gave his farewell speech to his war officers there (before he became the first President). They have one of his teeth on display in their upstairs museum. Other founding fathers also met there. As we arrived, we could see some business lunches going on, but by 1 pm it was clearing out and we ended up having our dining room to ourselves, which was kind of amazing for me as a history lover to reflect on being in such a historical place. 

We then headed out to the 9/11 Memorial, passing through Wall Street. We were supposed to return later to eat at Trinity Place, a restaurant built inside waht was one the largest and strongest bank vault in the world, but we didn't feel like rushing to get out there, and we had walked a lot already by this point. As such, we also didn't see the Bull or Alexander Hamilton's tomb or Trinity Church up close. Those also went on the list of things to see next time. 

The 9/11 Memorial was my must-see for this trip. When I was growing up, adults would say they remembered exactly where they were when they heard JFK was assassinated. Then it was that we remembered the moment we learned the Challenger had exploded. For Millenials and older, we all remember where we were when we heard the towers had been attacked or come down. I suppose for my kids they will remember the first Covid lockdown. But for something that changed the country and perhaps the world forever, I would say it was 9/11. 

There were actually a couple of people doing a photoshoot of sorts at the Memorial reflecting pools. I heard ahead of time--please don't do that. And it's pretty obvious why, especially when you see it. It's really deeply moving to see where the towers came down and the waterfalls flowing down into an abyss. And then inside the museum, I don't know if anything prepares you for that, just the scale of destruction and what was left. There is a exhibit where you cannot take photos or videos out of respect for the vicitms, which really shows the humanity of it all, of heroes saving everyone they can before they themselves breathe their last, of survivors recounting what they witnessed, and personal belongings found and saved from the rubble. This part intrigued Lucas the most, and I know he would have wanted to stay longer if he could. Note the museum is closed most Tuesdays. We walked through the Oculus, which was pretty neat, and took the subway back. We ended up getting some pizza around the corner from our hotel. We stayed at one of the Courtyard Marriots in Manhattan (Midtown East). I think it was worth it to be in a central location with room for all of us, though prepare for some noise and traffic (though that's much of the City anyway).

Our family's first subway ride

On our way to Battery Park

Pedestal view

View of the Statue once we arrived

Looking up at the torch from the crown

Up in the crown

Inside the Statue's face--in the middle left you can make out her left eye

The weather was nice that day, which was a huge blessing because it rained off and on all week, which was a blessing, too, but I was hoping it wouldn't that day!

The original torch. We split up, and I was with Isaac here at the museum.

Naomi, Lucas, and Manny also went to the museum at a separate time. I don't remember why; maybe a bathroom break.

Manny got the memo that day. We were in a sea of dads wearing light blue polos!

On the way back, we went to the top of the ferry

Lovely day

When I was little living in the east coast, the Statue of Liberty seemed huge to me. It is, but not as big as I recall, which is fine because it was "only" 393 steps to the top!

Fraunces Tavern, formerly Queen's Head Tavern, is New York's oldest restaurant, established in 1762. It's older than our country.

We had the room to ourselves suddenly!

The food was pretty good. I got a chicken pot pie.

They were doing a photoshoot or filming something upstairs, so I had to take a quick photo. Without my reading glasses, I didn't realize Lucas was mid-blink. Sorry, Lucas! This is a re-creation in the Long Room of the private meeting space they would have had in the 1700s, including Washington's farewell address to his surviving generals. 

Representation of one of the private dining rooms of the tavern where many officials including the Founding Fathers would eat.

Various artifacts, including one of Washington's teeth 😬

New York Stock Exchange Building

Fearless Girl statue

View of Trinity Church

FDNY Memorial Wall

Manny explaining the events of 9/11 to Lucas

One of the reflection pools with the infinite waterfalls

The last beam removed from the WTC

A foundation of one of the towers behind it

A sobering exhibit (no photos or vidoes allowed) showing the exact events of that day as they unfolded and items belonging to various victims and survivors.

The Oculus has a number of shops around the perimeter

Fraunces Tavern

Lightning from the hotel

Though we didn't get to see Trinity Place, we got to have our first slice of New York pizza! Yum!